News - TampaBay.WaterAtlas.orghttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/Recent news items for Tampa Bay Water Atlas60Hurricanes are strengthening faster in the Atlantic, and climate change is a big reason whyhttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18061<p>
A group of top hurricane experts, including several federal researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, published striking new research Thursday suggesting that hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean have grown considerably worse, and climate change is part of the reason why.</p>
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The study focused on rapid intensification, in which hurricanes may grow from a weak tropical storm or Category 1 status to Category 4 or 5 in a brief period. They found that the trend has been seen repeatedly in the Atlantic in recent years. It happened before Hurricane Harvey struck Texas and before Hurricane Michael pummeled the Gulf Coast with little warning last fall. Hurricane Michael, for example, transformed from a Category 1 into a raging Category 4 in the span of 24 hours.</p>
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The study, published in Nature Communications, describes its conclusion in blunt language, finding that the Atlantic already has seen &ldquo;highly unusual&rdquo; changes in rapid hurricane intensification, compared to what models would predict from natural swings in the climate. That led researchers to conclude that climate change played a significant role.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgThu, 21 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTUF researchers say people are moving away from lakes and rivershttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18062<p>
University of Florida researchers say the U.S. population is becoming less reliant on rivers and waterways. Instead trends have reversed to an increased demand for groundwater.</p>
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Historically, populations relied on rivers and waterways for transportation, agriculture, and drinking water. But now University of Florida researchers say U.S. populations are moving toward a new source of water; and it&rsquo;s underground. James Jawitz professor of soil and water sciences says with the peak of the second industrial revolution the population&rsquo;s reliance on rivers and waterways reversed.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgThu, 21 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTKids sue state of Florida for action on climate change. DeSantis wants suit dismissedhttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18063<p>
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis&rsquo; relatively green platform and his promises to prioritize the environment have received bipartisan applause since he was sworn in.</p>
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In a state where former Gov. Rick Scott banned regulators from using the phrase &ldquo;climate change,&rdquo; DeSantis has gotten credit for making resiliency a priority and even hiring someone to oversee efforts in the state.</p>
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But the words &ldquo;climate change&rdquo; appear nowhere in his executive order on the environment. And while he nods to rising seas and increased flooding, he never references humans&rsquo; role in the changing landscape.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgThu, 21 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTRed tide recovery continues with redfish release in Manatee Countyhttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18053<h4>
Over 2,000 redfish to be released to support the recovery of the fishery.</h4>
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The Coastal Conservation Association Florida, Duke Energy, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will continue red tide recover efforts with the shoreline release of 2,000+ redfish in Manatee County on Tuesday, February 26th. The organizations joined forces to address the loss to the redfish population on the southwest coast of Florida as a result of red tide. The redfish release program was announced in the fall of 2018. The upcoming release will include approximately 2,000 juvenile fish and 30 adult redfish, all hatchery-reared and donated from the Duke Mariculture Center in Crystal River. Over 8,000 juvenile and adult redfish have been released in February in Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Sarasota Counties, and another 6,000+ will be released in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte Counties in March.</p>
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The release will take place beginning at 11 a.m. at Robinson Preserve, 1704 99th Street NW, in Bradenton.</p>
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Additional upcoming releases:</p>
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Lee County &ndash; March 12, 11 a.m., at Tropical Point Park, 3401 Tropical Point Drive, St. James City</li>
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Collier County &ndash; March 15, 11 a.m. at Shell Island Boat Launch, 10 Shell Island Road, Naples</li>
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Charlotte County &ndash; March 19, 11 a.m. at Ponce De Leon Park, 3400 Ponce de Leon Parkway, Punta Gorda</li>
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For more information about the release program, contact Teresa Donaldson at (407)&nbsp;923-3530 or via email at <a href="mailto:tdonaldson@ccaflorida.org">tdonaldson@ccaflorida.org</a>.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgWed, 20 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTManatee County gives update on fall beach renourishment for AMIhttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18056<h4>
Beach renourishment projects for Anna Maria Island are on the fall calendar.</h4>
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Charlie Hunsicker, director of the Manatee County Parks and Natural Resources Department, updated county commissioners Feb. 12 on beach renourishment plans, including the area from 79th Street in Holmes Beach south to Longboat Pass.</p>
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The first project is a minor repair to Coquina Beach, using sand dredged from Longboat Pass to replenish the beach in Bradenton Beach.</p>
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The second project, beginning in November with completion by July 2020, will cover the beachfront from 79th Street in Holmes Beach to Fifth Street South in Bradenton Beach.</p>
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The section of work is known as the central beach project and is authorized to receive federal funding. At a total cost of $16 million, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will pay 54 percent. The state and county will split the remainder.</p>
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The third project will begin at Fifth Street South and end at Longboat Pass, at a total cost of $4 million. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will shoulder 75 percent of the cost, with the state and county sharing the remainder.</p>
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For the third project, Hunsicker plans to coordinate with the contractor hired for the central beach project by the Army Corps of Engineers to avoid additional mobilization costs.</p>
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At a total cost of around $20 million, the projects would replace more than 700,000 cubic yards of sand lost to erosion. Dredging from an offshore sandbar of beach-quality sand will be carried in pipes to the beach.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgWed, 20 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTSWFWMD schedules maintenance to Keystone structure in Hillsborough Countyhttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18044<p>
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has scheduled maintenance work to the Lake Keystone water conservation structure. The District will build a temporary dam around the structure to dewater or &ldquo;dry out&rdquo; the work area.</p>
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The work will take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and is scheduled to begin Feb. 18 and should be completed by March 8. During that time, drivers may experience occasional short-term traffic congestion as equipment is moved in and out of the area. Drivers are encouraged to be aware of their surroundings and use caution as the work area will be very close to oncoming traffic.</p>
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The Lake Keystone structure is located on Tarpon Springs Road between Keystone Manor Road and Wayne Road at the northern tip of Lake Keystone. The District will actively monitor water levels in Lake Keystone and Lake Island Ford during the construction.</p>
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For additional questions, please call the District at (352) 796-7211.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgFri, 15 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTManatee official chosen to tackle red tide algae on Florida water policy committeehttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18037<p>
A local government official will have a say in statewide water regulation rules.</p>
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The Florida Association of Counties announced Tuesday that Manatee County Commissioner Vanessa Baugh has been elected to serve on the organization&rsquo;s Water Policy Committee. The group, comprised of 37 Florida commissioners, determines policy statements used to guide lobbying discussions during legislative sessions.</p>
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Baugh, who was elected to the Board of County Commissioners in 2012, will &ldquo;play a key role in addressing the widespread water crisis affecting Florida coastlines, lakes, springs, estuaries and river,&rdquo; according to a press release. She is the only Manatee commissioner serving on the committee.&nbsp;</p>
WaterAtlas.orgTue, 12 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTFlorida red tide levels are the lowest in more than a yearhttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18023<p>
After more than a year, lab tests showed red tide concentrations across Florida were rated at &ldquo;not present&rdquo; to &ldquo;background&rdquo; concentrations.</p>
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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission tested more than 100 water samples offshore and in bay areas from Northwest, Southwest and the east coast of Florida, where red tide peaked in August and September. Those tests showed levels of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, were under 1,000 cells per liter for the first time since the outbreak began in late October 2017.</p>
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Red tide levels began to dip around Christmastime, but there was a resurgence at the beginning of January off the coast of Sarasota and Charlotte counties. Manatee has background concentrations (between 0 and 1,000 cells per liter) and Sarasota did not appear on the report Monday.</p>
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Charlotte County observed medium concentrations near Placida Harbor during tests performed from Jan. 17 to 24, but samples taken in the region on Monday showed levels dipped to trace amounts.</p>
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It is unknown whether more toxic algae lurks offshore, but conditions have shown notable improvement.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgThu, 07 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTPolluted lake in Holmes Beach will see a cleanup in the near futurehttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18024<p>
HOLMES BEACH - People who live on or near Spring Lake in Holmes Beach say the lake has gone from very clear to very dirty. There continues to be a strong push to get it all cleaned up.</p>
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Back in 2015, more than 22,000 gallons of raw sewage dumped into the lake after a Manatee County storm pipe collapsed. Residents say the water has been murky and polluted ever since. Holmes Beach city engineer Lynn Burnett recently met with Southwest Florida Water Management to talk about options to clean up the lake. It&rsquo;s something the city is very close to making reality.</p>
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&ldquo;There&rsquo;s about three foot of muck in there and sediments now mixed in with some lovely sewage as well,&quot; said Burnett. &quot;Step one would be dredging it out and also installing an aeration system on it.&rdquo;</p>
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Although there are now signs of fish and other wildlife returning to the lake, the pollution had killed hundreds of fish. Longtime resident Bob McCaffrey&rsquo;s home sits right on the lake. He tells us it&rsquo;s been tough having to live with these lake issues.</p>
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&ldquo;We would see scum and what used to be heron, egrets, fish jumping we had everything from snook, red snapper and everything else in here and they disappeared&quot; said McCaffrey. &quot;To me and the wife we lost that whole view, we lost everything.&rdquo;</p>
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McCaffrey says he&rsquo;s happy to hear the city now being proactive when it comes to having this lake cleaned once and for all.</p>
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&ldquo;Whatever works to get the animals and the rest of the vegetation and everything else back to normal, I would appreciate tremendously,&rdquo; said McCaffrey.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgThu, 07 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMTMore than 16K fish to be released in Florida after red tide devastates marine lifehttp://www.tampabay.wateratlas.usf.edu/news/newsviewall.asp?newsid=18020<p>
PORT RICHEY &ndash; More than 16,000 young and adult redfish are slated for release into the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay after one of the worst outbreaks of red tide killed hundreds of thousands of tons of marine life.</p>
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It&#39;s an effort to rejuvenate fisheries and their surrounding environments.</p>
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The Coastal Conservation Association Florida, partnering with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Duke Energy, plan to begin the process Tuesday.</p>
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They&#39;ll meet at 11 a.m. at Brasher Park.</p>
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&quot;We&rsquo;re extremely excited to begin releasing these fish now that the waters are determined to be safe,&quot; Brian Gorski, CCA Florida&#39;s executive director, said in a news release.</p>
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CCA Florida says each of its releases includes about 2,000 juvenile redfish and 25-30 adult fish. All were hatchery-reared at the Duke Energy Mariculture Center in Crystal River.</p>
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After working in Pasco County, crews plan to meet again Feb. 7 at Hillsborough County&#39;s Cockroach Bay Ramp in Ruskin and Pinellas County&#39;s Fort De Soto Park.</p>
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Release dates for Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Manatee and Sarasota counties still are to be determined.</p>
WaterAtlas.orgTue, 05 Feb 2019 00:00:00 GMT